Did you know that this is National Education Week? Why is this so under-advertised? Why isn't this a big deal, with national events, bonuses, special assemblies, gift bags for teachers from local businesses, donations to schools?

Why is this kept so quiet?

I'm a teacher in a public school - a public middle school - the grade level that is known among educators as being THE worst group to work with. Yet every day, myself and 100 other colleagues try to teach these 700 students entrusted to us by society - the same society that ignores National Education Week, gives us a barely-livable salary, doesn't provide needed materials/supplies/equipment, and expects us to perform miracles.

We teach - the accelerated learner, the gifted and talented student, the student with special needs, the average student, the student who barely reads, the student who doesn't care, the student who was molested or stoned or babysitting or committing a criminal act the night before.

We nurture - we care about our students, we try to find special services or support systems when needed, we provide hugs and encouragement and advice, we come early and stay late and work through lunch with students who need extra help to keep up with their peers.

We arbitrate, we discipline, we teach morals and proper behavior and conflict resolution. All while keeping our personal beliefs to ourselves, because we try to maintain the separation of church and state. We model appropriate behavior and how to be a law-abiding citizen.

We inspire students to do more than they thought possible. We compliment achievements, no matter how small. We try to build character and self-esteem in children from broken homes, broken communities, toxic environments. At my school, we provide breakfast and lunch, and look the other way when students suspended from school come over for lunch, because there is no food at home.

We spend money out of our own pockets, so that we can have supplies and materials we need. We work overtime, and don't get paid. We scrounge, we beg, we learn to make due - and then we go to a meeting and notice all the state-of-the-art gadgets that the administrators have. We try to prepare students for the ever-changing technological world, while we make due with obsolete equipment.

We make a difference in people's lives.

It's National Education Week. If you have children in school, thank their teacher. If you are still in touch with your former teachers, thank them too. Because that thank you means more to us than the paycheck, or the occasional extra pad of paper we're given to celebrate National Education Week. That thank you means that you noticed what we do, and that you, like us, think it's important.